Australian family  applying for an on-shore  parent visa for elderly mother

For us it has been overwhelmingly stressful as with Mum there was two sides to it. There was the bureaucracy of the immigration department as well as dealing with Mum's health issues.

Mum had to go for medical after medical [for migration purposes] and various tests which started to add up in cost.

What we found really stressful and annoying was Mum being given permission to apply for her visa "on shore" with a waiting period of fifteen years. I think there are many grey areas in the on-shore process that need to be addressed. Mum gave up everything in the UK and moved to Australia and then got sick during the waiting process. To be told your visa is denied and you have to leave Australia and re-establish
yourself is inhumane especially when all close family are in Australia.

It's of huge comfort to Mum knowing that she can stay in Australia and enjoy her twilight years with her family and that we are nearby to care for her.